Sunday, 13 November 2016

Textiles, travel, craft, exploration! Does this sound like your cup of tea?If so, you're invited to join a small
group of like-minded textile-enthused women for the experience of a lifetime,
visiting specialist handcraft villages, undertaking hands-on weaving, dyeing
and embroidery workshops, exploring some of South East Asia's most jaw-dropping
scenery and meeting and staying with the colourful hilltribe people who live
there. Plus much, much more.

This women-only tour, accompanied by a
local (English speaking) Vietnamese guide, starts and ends in the beautiful
city of Hanoi where we will spend several days based in the vibrant Old
Quarter, exploring the town and its foremost sightseeing attractions in
addition to a nearby silk weaving workshop and basketry craft village.

An overnight train journey takes us close
to the border Vietnam shares with China and to the beginning of our journey
through Vietnam’s northern provinces.We
will visit a colourful local market boasting some fabulous textiles and
handcrafts and then view local riverside life as we take a boat trip towards Sapa.
There we will spend three nights, one of
those in a rural village homestay while we participate in weaving, batik,
dyeing and embroidery workshops. We will also have the opportunity to cook (and
eat) Vietnamese/Hmong food with our homestay hosts!

From Sapa we travel through Ha Giang
province, a magnificent highland region near the Chinese border, comprising
lush forests and terraced rice paddies, with the dramatic mountains of Heaven's
Gate soaring in the background. This remote and spectacular area only opened to
tourists in very recent years and is known as Vietnam's final frontier. We will
spend several days visiting local hilltribe villages, visiting a specialist
textile village providing skills and livelihood to survivors of human
trafficking, participating in some hands-on textiles activities under the
guidance of the village women, shopping at the local textile and general
markets and trekking through spectacular landscapes.

Our final couple of days before
returning to Hanoi will be spent at a homestay on the shores of beautiful Ba Be
Lake, exploring the area by boat, visiting waterfalls and caves, observing lake-side
village life and relaxing.

Included in price

• local English speaking guide
throughout the tour

• all transport, sightseeing
attractions (museums, galleries, etc), workshops and excursions as per the
itinerary

• accommodation as per the itinerary

• meals as per the itinerary (13
breakfasts, 7 lunches, 3 dinners)

• return airport transfers in Hanoi

Not included in price

• international/domestic airfares

• travel insurance (compulsory)

• visas

• early check in or late check out

• meals and drinks not included in the
itinerary

• expenditure of a personal nature

• tips and gratuities

• extra activities

Price: AUD $2,445.00 per person.

A non-refundable deposit of AUD $500.00
is required to secure your place*.

The balance will be due by close of
business on 24 February 2017.

Things to consider

• the tour comprises 13 nights/14 days
and operates from Saturday 6th – Friday 19th May 2017. The opportunity exists
to extend your trip by an extra night or two at our hotel in Hanoi before or
after the tour, at the special group discount price of AUD $60.00 per room per
night;

• we are striving to offer a
culturally, environmentally and economically sustainable tour. To this end: we
have engaged local guides and hosts; we visit several workshops and business
enterprises that are either village co-ops (ie. all profits returned directly to
the villagers), fair trade organisations and/or projects aimed at providing
vocational training and experience to local youth or disadvantaged communities;
the tour price also includes a carbon offset;

• this trip is offered in partnership
with a licensed travel agent and tour operator for your (and our) peace of
mind;

• the itinerary is a full one, however
several free periods (some afternoons and several evenings) are built into the
schedule;

• an itinerary and booking form are
available upon request;

• hotel accommodation is in single
rooms while the homestays and overnight train trip provide shared accommodation.In large cities our hotels are approx. 3
star, while those in rural areas are more basic. Homestays offer quite basic
accommodation and rustic hospitality;

• this trip includes several moderate two
to four hour treks so a reasonable level of fitness and mobility are required;

• this trip comprises a couple of long bus
journeys through spectacular scenery in remote areas. We will occasionally encounter
squat toilets during our travels;

• our maximum group size is 12 women;

• tour participants will inevitably vary in age,
origin and personality. Flexibility and
a sense of humour are encouraged.

To secure your place on this exciting
textile adventure email retreatrecreate@gmail.com to request a booking form and itinerary or to join our mailing list.

We hope you will join us!

Susan Keeble and Susan Rees-Osborne

Don’t forget to follow retreatrecreate
on Instagram, like our Facebook page, and visit our blog at
www.retreatrecreate.blogspot.com*
Should the minimum number of guests not be achieved and the tour does not go
ahead, your $500.00 deposit will be returned.

What an amazing, soul-nourishing, educational week. Thank you to all of our wonderful, generous, creative guests. As one of them said at the end, we are now linked across the world by an invisible thread of friendship.

This was the second time we've run this textiles retreat and it just gets better each time as we refine the itinerary. If you'd like to join us on this or any of our other trips, send an email to retreatrecreate@gmail.com to join our mailing list. Our subscribers get news of our trips before we release them to the wider world so sign up!

Speaking of other tours, our next Vietnam textiles trip (6-19 May 2017) is about to be released and from the interest the last one generated, we think the 12 places will fill up quite quickly. Join the mailing list now!

Monday, 25 July 2016

We have one spot left on our textiles retreat in beautiful Ubud from 8 - 15 October. Do you fancy an indulgent and educational week in glorious tropical Bali, exploring the textiles of Indonesia? Do you want to know more about ikat, double-ikat, batik, indigo dyeing, and more?

This creative women's retreat offers you the chance to gather with
like-minded women in a magnificent and spiritually nourishing
environment. The week's explorations, day trips and classes share a
textile arts theme but there is also ample opportunity for other
activities including sightseeing, yoga, relaxing, swimming or sitting
and stitching and enjoying the company of other crafty creative women.
This retreat is open to women of all ages, from all over the globe.

The retreat price includes:

• 7 nights/8 days accommodation in a beautiful lush riverside resort
nestled on the side of a hill* within ten minutes walking distance of
Ubud. Rooms include ensuite bathrooms, safety deposit box, air
conditioning, tea/coffee facilities, free wifi, robes, slippers,
toiletries, hairdryer). The resort has two pools, a dedicated
restaurant, spa and several yoga and meditation rooms.
• pick up and drop off to and from the airport
• welcome drink on arrival
• fruit basket on arrival in your room
• daily bottled water in your room
• most meals
• daily yoga session (yoga mats provided)
• one 1-hour massage
• 30% discount on any additional massages or spa treatments at the resort
• scheduled shuttle services into Ubud's centre if you don't want to
take the short walk into town
• a traditional water purification ceremony at a Balinese temple
• a fascinating textiles lecture/class at the Indonesian Textile Arts
Centre 'Threads of Life'
• a batik and natural dye workshop, including lunch, in the Bebali
Foundation's studio and dye garden
• a full day trip with our guide featuring visits to a 1000 year old
temple, a traditional Balinese family compound, a weaving workshop, a
visit to Bali's most important textiles market, and lunch at a
restaurant overlooking magnificent terraced rice paddies and a
volcano.
• another full day trip hosted by Threads of Life staff to visit a
double-ikat weaving village (one of only three locations in the world
where this rare weaving technique is practised) and to an endek and
songket weaving village where we will also meet the author of Kain
Bebali: Sacred Cloth and learn about the increasingly rare striped
bebali cloth. Lunch is included.
• several free timeslots throughout the week for independent
sightseeing, exploring, relaxing, swimming, shopping, etc
• the opportunity to extend your stay at the resort before and/or
after the retreat, at a special room rate.

The retreat price does not include:

Airfares, travel insurance (compulsory), visas, the few meals not
scheduled, alcoholic beverages, expenditure of a personal nature, tips
and gratuities, and any additional classes or excursions you may wish
to schedule in your free time (eg. a trip to Denpasar to the famous
fabric shopping strip, sightseeing tours, other craft classes, etc).

If you have not been to Bali before, a treat awaits you. Bali is a
beautiful island with a rich spiritual and ceremonial life and
fascinating cultural traditions.
We do hope you will join us!
Susan Rees-Osborne and Susan Keeble

Please email retreatrecreate@gmail.com with any questions, to register
for a place on the 8 - 15 October 2016 Bali textiles retreat, or to receive a detailed day-to-day itinerary.

Monday, 18 April 2016

As the departure date for our Vietnam textiles tour approaches, we decided it was time retreat|recreate had its very own Instagram account, not just a hashtag.

If you're on Instagram, please follow us here, but do keep an eye on the #retreatrecreate hashtag too as we'll be asking the others in our group to use the hashtag when they post. The more the merrier!

Friday, 8 January 2016

The 8 – 15 October 2016 Bali textiles retreat details are now
available! The schedule has been tweaked and improved, with an
all-new day trip and visits to several new locations.

Please join us on this exciting and educational escape to beautiful
Ubud for a week of creativity, indulgence, community and inspiration.

This creative women's retreat offers you the chance to gather with
like-minded women in a magnificent and spiritually nourishing
environment. The week's explorations, day trips and classes share a
textile arts theme but there is also ample opportunity for other
activities including sightseeing, yoga, relaxing, swimming or sitting
and stitching and enjoying the company of other crafty creative women.
This retreat is open to women of all ages, from all over the globe.

The retreat price includes:

• 7 nights/8 days accommodation in a beautiful lush riverside resort
nestled on the side of a hill* within ten minutes walking distance of
Ubud. Rooms include ensuite bathrooms, safety deposit box, air
conditioning, tea/coffee facilities, free wifi, robes, slippers,
toiletries, hairdryer). The resort has two pools, a dedicated
restaurant, spa and several yoga and meditation rooms.
• pick up and drop off to and from the airport
• welcome drink on arrival
• fruit basket on arrival in your room
• daily bottled water in your room
• most meals
• daily yoga session (yoga mats provided)
• one 1-hour massage
• 30% discount on any additional massages or spa treatments at the resort
• scheduled shuttle services into Ubud's centre if you don't want to
take the short walk into town
• a traditional water purification ceremony at a Balinese temple
• a fascinating textiles lecture/class at the Indonesian Textile Arts
Centre 'Threads of Life'
• a batik and natural dye workshop, including lunch, in the Bebali
Foundation's studio and dye garden
• a full day trip with our guide featuring visits to a 1000 year old
temple, a traditional Balinese family compound, a weaving workshop, a
visit to Bali's most important textiles market, and lunch at a
restaurant overlooking magnificent terraced rice paddies and a
volcano.
• another full day trip hosted by Threads of Life staff to visit a
double-ikat weaving village (one of only three locations in the world
where this rare weaving technique is practised) and to an endek and
songket weaving village where we will also meet the author of Kain
Bebali: Sacred Cloth and learn about the increasingly rare striped
bebali cloth. Lunch is included.
• several free timeslots throughout the week for independent
sightseeing, exploring, relaxing, swimming, shopping, etc
• the opportunity to extend your stay at the resort before and/or
after the retreat, at a special room rate.

The retreat price does not include:

Airfares, travel insurance (compulsory), visas, the few meals not
scheduled, alcoholic beverages, expenditure of a personal nature, tips
and gratuities, and any additional classes or excursions you may wish
to schedule in your free time (eg. a trip to Denpasar to the famous
fabric shopping strip, sightseeing tours, other craft classes, etc).

If you have not been to Bali before, a treat awaits you. Bali is a
beautiful island with a rich spiritual and ceremonial life and
fascinating cultural traditions.
We do hope you will join us!
Susan Rees-Osborne and Susan Keeble

Please email retreatrecreate@gmail.com with any questions, to register
for a place on the 8 - 15 October 2016 Bali textiles retreat, or to receive a detailed day-to-day itinerary.

* Please note, the resort is located on the side of a steep ravine and features many (many) steps. This retreat is not suitable for those in wheelchairs or with mobility issues.

Wednesday, 18 November 2015

One of our textile activities in Ubud was participating in a batik and natural dye workshop where we created our very own piece of batik artwork. First we were given a brief introduction to the natural dye plants traditionally used throughout the Indonesian archipelago - the mordants, the various oils used to coat cotton thread, and the plants used to provide blue, black, red and yellow. We were also shown the tools used in batik - the tjanting tool that allows you to 'draw' on the fabric with melted wax, the beeswax and paraffin wax, and the decorative stamps available.

Then it was time to try for ourselves. First we applied the wax using either one of the supplied stencils or coming up with our own design. It's harder than it looks and we all became quite adept at embracing our mistakes and incorporating them into our designs. Some more successfully than others (cough).

When we were happy with the first stage the cloths were dipped in an indigo bath of Strobilanthes leaves (assam indigo) that had been soaked for 24 hours. There was much aerating and splashing and dipping, much to the confusion of those of us experienced in indigo dyeing and who know the importance of reducing the indigo vat to remove as much oxygen as possible and keep it as oxygen-free throughout the process as is humanly possible. When we asked about this, master dyers Tutut and Frog explained this was a direct dye method, and that the second dip later on would be in a reduced indigo vat much more similar to what we are used to (except that the reduction agent used here was palm sugar, as is appropriate in Bali!).

While our little artworks dried in the breeze Tutut took us on a tour of the dye garden. The Threads of Life business and its sister organisation, the Bebali Foundation, undertake research here in collaboration with dyers from all over the Indonesian archipelago and botanists from Kew Gardens, London. The aim is to reclaim and preserve the knowledge of natural dyes, mordants and processes that is in danger of being lost as communities turn to synthetic dyes for a faster turnaround and cheaper materials. By paying the dyers and weavers an appropriate amount for products made with traditional, natural materials, and supplying them where necessary with the dye materials while they establish their own sustainable supply, the communities not only make a living wage but maintain the traditions and precious knowledge.

After touring the dye garden (laid out in colour order and marked with their latin names), it was time for the second layer of wax to be applied to our pieces. Professional batik workers do multiple wax layers and colour dips to produce complex patterned and coloured cloth but we only had time for two layers, giving us a total of three colours (white, pale blue, darker blue).

A dip in the second indigo bath (Indigofera tinctoria this time) and another stint on the clothesline followed while we enjoyed a magnificent lunch brought in from the village nearby, wrapped in banana leaves to keep it hot. Takeaway fast food, Indonesian style. Even the wee selection of optional spices came in its own tiny banana leaf vessel!

Finally, our cloths were rinsed in boiling water and soda ash to remove all the wax and our masterpieces were revealed. Much oohing and aahing ensued.

It was a fabulous day - we returned to the resort that afternoon bubbling with excitement and pride, full of plans of what we would each do with our batik panels. You can see some of the finished pieces above. I didn't have a wide-angled lens to fit all twelve! If you travel to Bali I can highly recommend booking in for one of these classes.

I'll pop in again soon with photos of the lecture on Indonesian textiles and traditions that we attended. That was another brilliant experience.

This dye and batik class, together with the textiles lecture, will be repeated in the 2016 retreat together with some new excursions and experiences, so if these photos are tempting you, consider coming along next October. Email sreesosborne@gmail.com for further details.